Paul's string of unsuccessful romances with women—including his ill-fated bride Cindy Lake (DeAnna Robbins), and Cassandra Rawlins (Nina Arvesen), the wife of one of his clients—continued.

The couple faced various challenges together, with their first marriage ending as a result of his affair with the psychotic Isabella Braña (Eva Longoria).

Davidson's performance of Paul has garnered him acclaim from both critics and audiences, and he has emerged as one of the soap opera genre's most popular actors.

[7] In September 1994 he was hired to host The New Price Is Right, which taped down the hall from The Young and the Restless at CBS Television City.

Paul begins dating close friend, Nikki Reed (Melody Thomas Scott), giving her a sexually transmitted disease.

The romance ends when she takes up with Greg Foster (Wings Hauser); Paul begins dating April Stevens (Cynthia Eilbacher), who gives birth to his daughter Heather (Eden Riegel) despite his desire for her to terminate the pregnancy.

The ill-conceived marriage ends in divorce; Paul focuses on his detective career, unsuccessfully trying to find his mentally unstable sister Patty (Stacy Haiduk).

While Paul and business partner Andy Richards (Steven Ford) work undercover to infiltrate organized crime, he dates prostitute Cindy Lake.

Paul becomes involved with his friend George Rawlins' (Jonathon Farwell) wife Cassandra (Nina Arvesen), unaware of the marriage.

After dating his secretary Lynne Bassett (Laura Bryan Birn), Paul falls in love with his partner Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell).

She begins a law practice with Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc), who raped her years ago, which requires her to spend months out of town working on cases in Hong Kong and Australia.

Paul captures Sheila, locking her in a warehouse cage, and begins dating detective Maggie Sullivan (Tammy Lauren).

Paul's daughter Heather (Vail Bloom) returns to Genoa City as an assistant district attorney, and develops a relationship with her father.

Paul's son Ricky (now an adult) returns to Genoa City, working for attorney Avery Bailey Clark (Jessica Collins).

[11][15] Canyon News described Paul as a "sexy private eye who many Genoa City citizens have called upon to save their lives and their companies".

[16] Bell had introduced Paul as a "bad boy" who would be a rival for Nikki Reed's (Melody Thomas Scott) affections (which he won),[11] and "too green to know anything".

In an interview with The Gadsden Times, the actor said he treats himself as an "open vessel" and has a "childlike frame of mind" when undertaking a variety of storylines.

[19][20] Davidson described the relationship as Paul's "first non-drama fling" and said that Bell decided to pair the characters on the "spur of the moment", uncertain of the outcome.

[21] The couple have faced a number of challenges, including Lauren's crazed stalker Shawn Garrett (Grant Cramer) and disapproval from Paul's mother, Mary Williams (Carolyn Conwell).

"[13] For years Paul has been romantically involved with Christine Blair, played by Lauralee Bell (daughter of the show's creator, William J.

Davidson felt that the couple never fell out of love, although they were driven apart by characters such as Isabella Braña (Eva Longoria) and Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc).

Lauralee Bell, who returned for this story arc, said: "That whole Isabella thing was a very scary time for Chris and Paul and now they wonder if there's something off about Ricky.

Davidson described the discovery that Paul had a "psycho son" as painful: "You feel it in your heart, and it’s supported by the things you discover with logic.

[38] One night, Paul arrived at Ricky's place and found his son holding a knife to Eden Baldwin's (Jessica Heap) throat.

[44] After ten years on the show he was described as a "veteran" by John Goudas of The Gadsden Times, who noted Davidson's "very large fan following".

[43] Discussing a storyline in which a "loyal and protective" Paul dealt with his sister Patty's dementia, Tommy Garrett of Canyon News called Davidson's performance "strong" and "overpowering" yet "understated": "...each week for the past three decades we wonder how he does it so well".

[16] Michael Fairman of On-Air On-Soaps praised the actor: "Doug is that dependable performer who can make us smile or break us down in tears.

[50] Dave Masko of the website Huliq called "turning the character of Paul from a mainstay on the series for 30 years, into someone who murders his own son" one of the stops pulled out by The Young and the Restless to boost "slipping" ratings.

Whether dealing with Patty, in shock and anguish over shooting his own son, or reuniting with a past love, Paul can be counted on to bring a one-two punch of genuine emotion to each and every scene he is in – it's astounding how Doug Davidson never fails to deliver.

[63]In 2022, Charlie Mason from the same website placed Paul seventh on his list of the best 25 characters from The Young and the Restless, commenting "There's a good reason that everyone from Eric Braeden (Victor) to, um, the entire audience is always calling for Doug Davidson to get more screentime — and it ain't just nostalgia: We all watched the Emmy winner grow up as Paul, a beach bum — emphasis on the "bum"!